The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-07-23
CLEVELAND AND THE SOLDIERS.

The Ottawa RepuJiicdR but echoes til,
general refrain e. at runs through the whole
republican press in saying Of Preslden
Cleveland, that
| He Is not the friend of the soldiers, never
has shown any regard for them, and proba
bly, never will be inclined to favor them
for the reason that he Is surrounded 10y mel
who care nothing tor them.
What ground is there for this sweeping
statement that Cleveland ais not the friend
Of the soldiers" The chief evidence here
assigned Is, that "he has surrounded him
self with men who care nothing for them
Is this true Several members of his cabi
net were soldiers, including the Post Mas
ter General, who has more appointments
under his control and "A larger patronage
generally TO dispense than all the Other
members combined. Next In Importance
to the soldier is the pension office, and over
this he placed the distinguished Illinois
soldier, Gen. Ohm G.. Black.
But rs "A further evidence that Cleveland
is unfriendly TO the soldier the RcpaJltcan
continues
In the departments at Washington hun
dreds Of soldiers had been EN- ployed many
of them disabled, and nearly all of them
were removed and eX-rebels put in the
place of u number.
The civil service law controls all the ap-
pointments In 1.-The departments at Wash.
ington," and under that law no removals
can be made except for incompetency or
other good cause, and no appointments ex-
cept on the merits of the appointee after
passing rigid examination, and then the
selection is made substantially without re-
gard to politics, the only Partially allowed
being In favor of the soldier, who, where
there are two or more applicants, If of
equal or nearly equal qualification with his
opponents, is to have the preference The
statement, therefore, that lin the depart
ments at Washington hundreds of soldiers
have been removed" &c, is manfestly and
rossly-incorreCt
And lastly and chiefly Cleveland is IN
friendly to the soldiers because ale vetoed
a large majority of the pension bills passed
by congress, even where the vote was
nearly unanimous, and some of the vetoeS
were clothed in language insulting to the
soldier" The wilful falsehood or culpable
ignorance of this statement is shown by the
few simple facts, which have been cullel
from the records of congress During the
eight years of Grants administration 4Sj
private pension bills passed congress and
were approved by the President; during
the four years of Hayes 1903 such bills
were passed and approved; during Ar
thurs four years 1876 We're passed and ap
proved; and during t1O years OF demo.
cratic administration under Cleveland 800
of these bills were passed and approved.
1t became manifest, however, thai the
facility of "beating the pension boards"
by rushing private pension bills through
after the claims had been rejected
by the regularly constit uted boards for
their examination, had run into gross and
abuse A member of congress
to get the favor of little home coterie,
would go before the congressional commit
tee on pensions, and telling pitiable story
as told him, and about which half the time
he himself knew nothing, would get re
port TO the senate or house In favor Of the
veriest scalawag, and of course no member
OF either house, after the committee had
reported the claim all right, would, as the
bill came up for passage, have the temerity
10 raise his voice against soldier! But